The “Running Of The Rainiers!” These Classic Rainier Beer Ads Even Starred “Beer Hunter” Mickey Rooney!

Growing Up With Seattle’s Legendary Beer Ads!

Growing up in Seattle, I learned all about the city’s legendary Brewery through their incredibly entertaining ads – like the ones showing Rainier Beer herds grazing in the mountains!

“It Makes The Mountain Smile!”

The company has been in business for more than a century, making great use of the iconic mountain that looms large over the city of Seattle – here’s proof of that:

At 14,000 feet tall, the mountain is a symbol of the Pacific Northwest – and has been the name of this beer company – and here’s proof that there was a time when beer was perhaps a bit “over advertised!”

HA! Can you imagine a beer ad that promotes the beverage as good for all ages?

While those times have certainly changed, there was also an era when the Rainier Beer Company released some of the most entertaining advertisements of all time…creating a series of ads promoting “wild” beers roaming the northwest!

The “Running Of The Rainiers!”

You have to give credit to this Seattle-based beer company: in the 70’s and 80’s they owned the airwaves with a series of incredibly entertaining commercials for their beer!

Here is the hilariously creative ad for the “Running Of The Rainiers”, a seasonal stampede of beer bottles that was presented as a faux live news report!

Mickey Rooney, Beer Hunter!

These ads were so successful that they even tapped legendary Actor Mickey Rooney to take part, as one of the “Beer Hunters”!

Check this out!

Rooney clearly was having a blast making these ads, which saturated our airwaves and made the beer the clear king of brews in the Pacific Northwest.

Here’s another example of the “Wild Rainiers”:

Equally iconic is the ad simply known as “Rainier Beer Motorcycle:”

Check out this simple yet beautiful advertisement:

Iconic.

Bravo to the company for these entertaining and artful advertisements…

Hey, and about that Mickey Rooney ad – it’s not so farfetched to have the iconic Actor take part, especially hone he was known to endorse almost anything!

Yes, this ad was a funny fake, but Rooney was a wild wild man when it came to products baring his name – he was a savvy Businessman who used his fame for a wide array of products:

Go Mickey!

If you find this as entertaining as I did, then click here to see more of Mickey Rooney’s business savvy!


https://johnrieber.com/2019/09/24/mickey-rooneys-potato-fantasy-restaurant-plus-wackiest-celebrity-ads-celebrities-playing-with-their-food/

These beer ads weren’t the only ones that were iconic in Seattle at the time:

“We’ve Got Crab Legs!”

The Sea Galley restaurant chain also had incredible ads featuring dancing crab legs!

You can see these ads by clicking on my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2020/11/06/weve-got-crab-legs-sea-galley-seattles-legendary-crab-house-heres-the-vintage-dancing-singing-crab-legs-ad-what-the-friday/

Another classic restaurant in Seattle is Dick’s Drive-In:

Yes, this burger stand is so popular that Bill Gates waits in line for a bag of burgers as well!

One local Seattle restaurant made an homage to the Dick’s Deluxe, and you can see it by clicking on my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/03/12/classic-burger-joints-dicks-drive-in-lunchbox-laboratory-seattles-burger-magic/

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You can sign up by clicking on my blog here and see the note on the right!

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Enjoy your Rainier Beer!



Categories: Art, Books / Media, Food, food blog, Funny Pictures, Memoirs, Pop Culture, Restaurants, Travel Memoir, Wacky Food, what the Friday

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20 replies

  1. I was in one of those beer bottles for the Running of the Rainiers ad. I was living in the dorms at UofW and the resident assistant was dating somebody at Rainier. Bodies were needed to wear the bottle suits so a bunch of us college dorm kids were recruited. All these years later it’s a little hazy, but this is what I remember (details are a little fuzzy). 1977 or 78, Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) we were down in the Pioneer Square area. Couldn’t see much through the bottle cap in front. We were knocking against each other as we ran down the alley. I think we were paid $52 each.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. New ads to me, John. But I loved them. We need more like those today!
    One thing though. They pronounce it ‘Rani-ear’. I always say ‘Rainy-A’, as in the French pronounciation. I was sure it’s a French name. So I looked it up, and it is named after a British sailor! I suspect his name would have been pronounced ‘Rainy-er’, in England.
    Peter Rainier
    Captain George Vancouver of the British Royal Navy observed the mountain while surveying the Pacific coast in 1792 and decided to name the mountain after his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier.
    Best wishes, Pete.

    Like

  3. Fun post, John… great ads all new for me …I do love seeing Bill Gates in a queue albeit a small one for a burger 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  4. I love the photo of Bill Gates in line to get a burger. I imagine he’d get a lot of questions like, “Do you know you look just like Bill Gates?” 🤣

    Like

  5. Love those, thanks for sharing. I still try to match those ideas in the work i continue to do.
    Michael Porte – The Field
    website: https://thefield.tv
    podcast: https://lisabirnbach.com/welcome

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Fun post today, John. I love the spunky advertisements and trivia on Mickey.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. I remember these ads, very clever.

    Liked by 1 person

Trackbacks

  1. A Red Crab Race To The Ocean! Christmas Island Blazes With The “Running Of The Red Crabs”! – johnrieber
  2. Mickey Rooney’s “Potato Fantasy” Restaurant! Plus, Wackiest Celebrity Ads! Celebrities Playing With Their Food! – Bite! Eat! Repeat!
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